


Leader of the Pack

by Lauriana25



Series: The Baby Diaries [6]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Drama, Happy Ending, Heavy Angst, I'm Sorry, M/M, Pack Bonding, Past Sexual Abuse, depictions of violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-18
Updated: 2018-09-18
Packaged: 2019-07-14 00:49:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16029548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lauriana25/pseuds/Lauriana25
Summary: Yuuri and Victor’s love is tested when they encounter a strange alpha at the rink during a practise session with Yurio and Otabek…





	Leader of the Pack

**Author's Note:**

> **WARNING**   
> This one-shot shows scenes of violence, emotional trauma and delves into a dark part of Victor's past that he had hoped he had left behind for good.
> 
> If this is not for you, I understand.

                 Yuuri couldn’t help it; no matter how often he’d seen Victor execute a quad flip, his heart would still skip as though it was the first time.

                ‘How the hell did I manage to catch this man’s eye?’ he thought dreamily to himself as Victor practised his new routine for the upcoming season. He leaned back against the barrier and sighed, tilting his head slightly to one side as he continued to watch his mate.

                Victor was the most successful skater in recent history – not to mention _the_ most successful omega of all time – and he was determined to prove that, even though he was now the oldest skater in the division, he was still a force to be reckoned with. That he could still leave all skaters, secondary genders aside, in his wake.

                And Yuuri would be there to cheer the loudest. Even though he was also competing, there was no way he would consider his husband as a rival (and not just because it was an uneven match, at least as far as he was concerned).

                He was snapped out of his idolatry by a gruff voice. “Do you have to do that here?”

                He turned to the blonde alpha that had skated to stand next to him and smirked at the angry flash in those green eyes.

                “Do what?” he asked innocently.

                “You fucking know what – stare at him with those goddamn bedroom eyes? It’s knocking me sick!” Yurio barked, much to Yuuri’s amusement.

                “You think these are my bedroom eyes?” he raised a crooked brow and grinned at the younger alpha’s obvious discomfort. He batted his lashes, knowing it would make his friend squirm.

                “Don’t you fucking dare!” Yurio snarled.

                Yuuri laughed heartily. “Yura, we’ve been together for five years. How are you still this uncomfortable around us?”

                “First of all – don’t call me Yura! Only Otabek and my grandpa call me that!”

                “But I thought you didn’t like “Yurio”.” Yuuri teased with a nudge of his shoulder to the blonde’s.

                “I don’t!” Yurio sulked, “but that doesn’t mean you get to call me “Yura” either! And second of all, you’ve been together for five years – shouldn’t you be over the fucking honeymoon period by now?!”

                “Every day is our honeymoon!” Victor called as he glided over, his hand outstretched to grab Yuuri’s waiting hand. He allowed himself to be pulled to Yuuri’s chest, smiling warmly as they did what they always did to annoy their young friend; make deliberately loud “mmm” sounds as they kissed.

                “I swear to god I will carve a chunk of ice out of this rink and bitch-slap you both if you don’t pack it in!” Yurio yelled, his thin face burning.

                Victor tucked his head into the crook of Yuuri’s shoulder, wrapped his arms around Yuuri’s waist and smiled sweetly at the younger alpha; it was always so much fun to tease him!

                Yurio rolled his eyes and skated away to start his practise. He’d never admit it – especially to those two idiots – but he was happy for them. They’d gone through a lot over the last two years and a small part of him had been worried that they wouldn’t recover. So to see them act all mushy (bleurgh!) made him breathe a sigh of relief.

                The only person who knew he felt like that was Otabek, and Yurio knew the alpha would take his secret to the grave…mostly because the Kazakhstani skater knew if he breathed a word of it, it would be him who put him in that grave!

                The alpha in question walked into the rink, his gym bag slung over his shoulder. Yurio scooted over to the far side of the rink when he saw him come in, his practise momentarily forgotten as he greeted his friend with a fist bump.

                “About time you showed up,” he huffed, “you were about to miss my practise.”

                Otabek’s smile twitched in one corner; his version of a smile. “Aww, did you wait for me? I’m honoured.”

                Yurio scoffed. “You should be! You’re going to see this year’s winning program before anyone else!”

                “It won’t win if you don’t practise!” Victor teased from across the rink.

                “Fuck off, old man!” Yurio yelled over his shoulder, which only earned him a laugh as a response, “you see what you’ve made me put up with on my own?” he added to Otabek with a roll of his eyes.

                Otabek nodded towards Yuuri and Victor in greeting. “So they’re back to normal, then?”

                “If by “normal”, you mean “annoying as fuck” and “sickening”, then yes.” Otabek saw the tiny blush on his young friend’s cheeks, the way his eyes softened despite the hissing remarks.

                Yuri Plisetsky, the Russian tiger, was secretly as big of a kitten as Potya, but only he knew that.

                “Well, I’m here now, so don’t let me stop you.” He said as he plonked his bag onto the bench next to the rink.

                “You’re not getting ready?” Yuuri frowned at him.

                “After I see this winning program of yours – I want to see what I’m up against.” Otabek shrugged nonchalantly, but his light voice betrayed him.

                Yurio’s eyes shone for a moment before he sped to the centre of the rink.

                Otabek quickly glanced over his shoulder, stiffening. He thought he felt the presence of someone watching from the door, but there was no one there. He shook his head and turned back to the rink; his alpha senses had been on edge all morning.

                ‘Maybe I’m closer to my rut than I thought.’ He shrugged, making a note to tell Yurio that he’d be missing over the weekend; if he was about to have his rut, he didn’t want the young alpha to unexpectedly call at his house.

                He didn’t want to hurt his best friend.

***

                Across the rink, Yuuri and Victor had moved off the ice to watch Yurio’s routine. Victor smiled proudly; the young alpha had grown stronger since his last growth spurt, his legs and shoulders filling out into a wider frame, and it was starting to reflect in his skating.

                “I guess our little Agape’s gone.” He sighed, melancholy setting in.

                Yuuri rested his head against Victor’s shoulder. “We knew it would happen one day.”

                “I know, but still…when did he grow up?” Victor sighed.

                Yuuri felt a warm sensation from across their empathic link, akin to velvet down his back. He turned his head to stare at Victor and saw the soft sparkle in his sapphire eyes as he watched Yurio kick out of a layback spin.

                “Are you getting broody watching Yurio?” Yuuri asked, stunned.

                A faint blush rose to the omega’s cheeks and he suddenly found his hands very interesting.

                “…Maybe?” he replied in a tiny voice.

                Yuuri fought the urge to snuggle into his mate; Yurio would only curse them at such a public display of affection.

                So he decided to tease his mate instead. “And all these years I thought you were joking when you said you wanted to adopt him!” he sniggered, reaching for one of Victor’s hands to twist their fingers together.

                Victor winked at his mate, a lopsided grin growing at the teasing. “Hey, I made him who is he and don’t you forget it! Allow an old man his indulgences!”

                Yuuri rolled his eyes. “You’re not an old man!”

                Victor batted his lashes. “Would you still love me if I was?”

                If Yuuri rolled his eyes any more, they were going to roll into the back of his head. “I would love you if you were a dusty old mummy, you know that.”

                Victor leaned closer. “I know, but I still like to hear it.”

                Yuuri pecked his soft lips, tasting the balm he’d used a moment ago. “Well, if you want, I could show you.”

                Victor blushed, startled. “H-here?!”

                Yuuri chuckled low in his throat. “I would say yes, but the last time we did that, Yurio screamed the place down and threatened to gouge his own eyes out with his skates.”

                Victor giggled at the memory.

                “But,” Yuuri’s low voice sent a shiver down his spine that had nothing to do with the cold, “if you’re finished with your practise, I suppose we could make our excuses and duck out early.”

                A trembling purr vibrated from Victor’s chest and Yuuri knew what his answer was as Victor hurried to change out of his tracksuit. Yuuri took a deep breath – he didn’t want to give off too many horny pheromones when he talked to Yurio and Otabek.

                He began to walk around the rink to Otabek, who acknowledged his approach with a quick nod and a soft growl; the common greeting between alphas who, though were not part of the same pack, considered each other friends. Yuuri returned the greeting and sat next to him, watching Yurio for a moment.

                “You think he’ll win gold this year?” Otabek asked, nodding in the Russian alpha’s direction.

                Yuuri smiled. “Don’t tell him I said this, but I think he’s got Victor worried for his title.”

                Otabek nodded again, a sly smile tugging at his lips.

                Suddenly, the atmosphere changed. The air crackled as an unfamiliar scent caught Yuuri’s attention. At first, he thought he had misread the scent, until he saw the Kazakhstani alpha stiffen next to him, his dark eyes glinting. Then he saw Yurio screech to a halt on the ice, his head jerking from side to side as he sniffed the air, before he raced over to them, his green eyes flashing.

                “Did you smell that?” the youngest alpha asked, his voice already edged with a growl.

                Otabek nodded. “I thought I smelled it before, but I didn’t see anyone.”

                Yuuri sniffed the air again. The hairs on his arms vibrated as his alpha senses caught the putrid smell of leather and carbolic soap.

                Alpha. A strange alpha. One that had tried to block his scent.

                “I don’t get it; why would someone use scent blockers here?” Yurio mused, his eyes darting to try and find the source of the smell, “I thought the rink was closed for our practise – there shouldn’t be any members of the public in here today.”

                Yuuri felt a hard lump drop into his stomach and he jumped to his feet, running at top speed to the changing room. He sensed Otabek hot on his heels, closing ranks, and Yurio rushing across the ice in the same direction. The youngest alpha yanked his skates off when he got to the other side of the rink and ran behind Otabek in his bare feet. Yuuri ran faster, his heart pounding with fear.

                “Victor!”

***

                Victor was just in the middle of changing when he sensed the presence of someone else coming into the changing room. At first, he thought it was Yuuri and was about to call out to him, hoping that his husband had changed his mind about having some fun here rather making him wait until they got home, when he caught the scent of leather.

                He flinched. Yuuri always smelled like vanilla, Yurio smelled like ginger and Otabek smelled like mint, their unique scents imprinted into his sensory memory. None of their friends, even their work acquaintances, smelled like leather.

                In fact, he’d only ever met one person who smelled like leather…

                _Shit! It can’t be!_

                He caught the stronger smell of carbolic soap and felt a shiver run down his spine; scent blockers!

                _No. Not him. Not here!_

                He quickly yanked his jumper over his head and tucked himself into the corner of the changing room. It wasn’t the best position, to put himself in a corner, but at least _he_ wouldn’t be able to sneak up on him.

                Victor saw the shadow on the floor before he saw the man. It stretched across the floor like a sinister hand, clawing its way towards him. The horrible scent got stronger as the strange alpha stepped closer.

                Victor nearly fell to the floor when he saw who it was.

                A tall, muscular alpha, with long jet-black hair tied back in a small ponytail. His skin was naturally tanned, his eyes were chestnut brown with small curled lashes. He had a dimpled chin, sharp nose and a small, pouty mouth.

                That mouth stretched into a cold grin when he laid those glinting eyes on the omega.

                “Hello, Vit’enka,” a deep, scratchy voice emanated from that grin and Victor wanted to curl in on himself at the mention of his old pet name, “it’s been a while.”

                Victor struggled to keep his voice level, but he kept his stare cold. “Richard.” He spat the name like it tasted vile, but the alpha only grinned more.

                The alpha – Richard – stepped further into the changing room and Victor pressed his back against the wall.

                “How long has it been?” the alpha mused, “eight, nine years?”

                “Not long enough!” Victor spat again, his omega sense of self-preservation screaming at him to scratch those cold eyes out of his smug face.

                Richard chuckled low. “Now, now, Vit’enka. Is that any way to greet your master?”

                Victor hissed, his fingers splaying into claw-like angles at his sides. “You are _not_ my master! I have no master!”

                Richard tutted. “Still disobedient, I see.”

                Victor wanted to run – his body screamed at him to run – but Richard was blocking the door and, even though Victor was stronger than most omegas, he remembered how strong Richard was.

                How he could easily pin him to the wall…to the bed…

                He shuddered at the memory.

                Richard was now less than an inch from him and Victor could smell the tobacco on his breath and see the scar that dragged from above his right eye down to his cheek. He smirked inwardly; that scar had been his parting gift to his ex-boyfriend. The alpha inhaled deeply, a lustful growl rising in his chest, and Victor felt his skin crawl.

                “Mmm, cinnamon,” Richard grinned, “you always did smell good enough to eat, Vit’enka.”

                Bile rose in Victor’s throat; he only emitted a cinnamon scent when he was in distress.

                _The sick son of a bitch is getting off on my misery! Again!_

                “What do you want, Richard?” Victor asked coldly – he was not going to run. He was not going to be afraid of this bastard anymore.

                Richard smirked. “I’ve come to take you home, my pet.” He reached up to brush the fringe from in front of Victor’s eyes but the omega slapped his hand away.

                ~Yuuri!~ he used the empathic link between him and his mate, panic and fear grabbing hold of his vocal chords for a moment.

                ~I’m coming!~ Yuuri’s voice filled his head, along with a blast of his soothing vanilla scent; he was trying to keep his mate calm, despite the wrathful snarl that accompanied his words.

                “I am not your pet!” he yelled, the blanket of vanilla helping him to regain control of his emotions, “I am home! My mate is on his way, so if you know what’s good for you - ”

                Richard sniggered. “Your “mate”? Oh, you must mean that pathetic Japanese puppy you latched yourself onto after you left me. Your standards have certainly lowered if you’re still letting him fuck you. What’s the matter, Vit’enka – couldn’t you find a real man after me?”

                Victor’s face twisted in fury. “Yuuri is a hundred times the man you ever were!”

                Richard slammed his hand into the wall next to Victor’s head, making him flinch with a whine. “You belong to me, you little bitch!” he snarled, his breath hot against Victor’s ear.

                He tried to push the alpha away, but as soon as his hands touched his chest the man grabbed his wrists hard. Pain shot up his arms, making him gasp. He could feel the alpha attempt to use his dominating aura to make him kneel and he struggled against it.

                “You made me look like a fool when you ran away!” Richard growled, his eyes bulging with hatred, “Then I found out about your little act with that skater – do you have any idea how stupid you made me look? Me! The best fucking alpha you’ve ever met!”

                Victor gritted his teeth as Richard’s suffocating aura pushed him onto his knees. “You – beat – me! You – did things - ”

                Tears threatened to fall as he was forced to relive the worst two years of his life, flashes of pain, humiliation and misery playing out in front of his eyes.

                “You loved it!” Richard spat.

                “I didn’t! I never did! I never loved you! You never loved me!” Victor whimpered, his inner omega wanting the torture to stop as he began to lose feeling in his fingers as his ex tightened his grip.

                Richard laughed. “Love? Love?! Why would anyone love a snivelling little bitch like you? Why would anyone love an omega who didn’t do as he was told?”

                He leaned over Victor, taking his wrists in one vice-like hand. The omega stared up in horror as he saw Richard reach for his belt buckle.

                “You need to be taught a lesson, Vit’enka,” Richard growled, his voice growing thick, “you need to be reminded about what you are…”

                Victor could feel his hot breath on his face, along his neck. He tried to twist his face away but the alpha, having loosened his belt buckle, gripped his chin and forced him to look at him and he saw him lick his lips. He screwed his eyes shut.

                _No. no, please! Yuuri! YUURI!_

                The door banged open. The changing room became filled with hot rage mixed with vanilla.

                Victor almost fainted with relief.

                “Yuuri!” he called out, his voice high in panic.

                Richard, keeping his grip on Victor’s wrists, turned towards the door with an agitated snarl.

                Yuuri stood in the middle of the room, his fists shaking at his sides as he attempted to calm himself, the air filled with his furious aura. Yurio and Otabek stood just a little behind him, on either side, glowering at the intruder.

                “Get your filthy hands off my mate.” Yuuri snarled slowly, his lips curled back to bare his teeth.

                Richard smirked. “He was mine first,” he stated coldly, “I’m merely getting my property back.”

                Yuuri’s eyes darted between the alpha and his mate, and Victor thought he saw doubt pass across his face. Then a white-hot light flashed in Yuuri’s eyes as he realised who the intruder was.

                “You will not talk about my mate like he was a piece of meat,” Yuuri stepped forward, his initial fury settling into composed hatred, “not if you want to leave here with your head still attached to your shoulders.”

                Richard laughed icily. “And who’s going to stop me? You? I know all about you, Yuuri Katsuki – a pathetic excuse for an alpha who might as well be a good-for-nothing beta!”

                Victor hissed at him, a natural reaction to the insult to his beloved mate. Richard brought his hand down across Victor’s face, sending him flying to the floor with a yelp.

                “Victor!” Yuuri cried out as he felt pain shoot across their empathic link.

                Richard positioned himself so that he stood between Yuuri and his crying mate, who was curled up on the floor. “I wouldn’t worry too much about him; Vit’enka always knew how to take it like a good little boy.”

                Yurio stepped up to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Yuuri. “You know, you’re really starting to piss me off, shithead.”

                Richard glowered at the young alpha. “What’s it to you, pup?”

                Yurio growled. “You’ve just hit my friend and you want to know what it’s got to do with me? Are you as stupid as you are ugly or something?”

                Richard threw his head back and laughed. “This one’s got bigger balls than you, Katsuki! I’m surprised Victor didn’t attach himself to him instead.”

                Yuuri snarled and Richard froze for a moment, the feeling of the alpha’s rage smacking him in the face. “You have intruded on my patch, asshole. You know the penalty for intrusion.”

                Victor stared up at his mate in horror. “Yuuri, no!”

                It was the unwritten Law of the alphas; if one encroached on another’s territory, the insulted alpha had the right to challenge the intruder to a fight. More often than not, it was a fight to the death.

                Richard straightened his back, his aura giving the impression that he had somehow grown; a cheap parlour trick used to intimidate others. It wasn’t working on Yuuri, who kept his eyes locked on the threat.

                “I accept the challenge.” Richard growled with a sneer, “I can’t wait to see the look on your bitch’s face when I rip your heart out.”

                Otabek growled next to Yuuri. “You’ll never get that chance.”

                Richard glared at him. “Stay out of this! This doesn’t concern you!”

                Otabek stooped to his knee and reached for Yuuri’s wrist. At the same time, Yurio did the same thing. Yuuri felt a strange sensation pass through him as both men placed his hands on the scent glands on their necks. Instinctively, he cupped the glands and gently squeezed until he smelled ginger and mint blending with his vanilla.

                Otabek’s smile was crooked as he glared at the gawping alpha. “I’m afraid it does concern me, seeing as you’ve challenged my Pack Leader.”

                Yurio’s grin reminded Victor of a hyena. “Big mistake, dickhead; threatening our omega.”

                Victor’s eyes blew wide. _“Our” omega??_

                Yuuri felt a sense of calm wash over him as his new bond with his friends settled over them like a shroud. He would never have asked this of them, not even to save his own life, yet they had just declared him as Pack Leader, and Victor as Pack Omega.

                It meant they would fight by his side and defend Victor with their lives.

                Richard stared between the three of them. Yuuri could see panic flash behind his eyes.

                “I’ll give you one chance to leave my territory unharmed,” he said coolly, “provided you pledge to never return, or contact my mate again.”

                Richard spat at Yuuri’s feet.

                “I’m not leaving without my property!”

                Yuuri grinned at him; Victor had never felt so frightened.

                “You were warned.”

                Then he lunged at Richard, snarling. His fist connected with the alpha’s jaw with a loud “crack!” and Richard stumbled backwards with a grunt. He shook his head sharply, clearing his vision just as Yuuri brought his fist down again. He caught the fist in his hand and squeezed, crushing Yuuri’s fingers. Richard swept his foot and knocked Yuuri’s leg from under him, making him fall backwards. As he stumbled, Richard used the momentum to pounce on him with a loud snarl, his hands reaching for Yuuri’s throat. Yuuri slammed his fists down onto Richard’s arms, the sudden pain making the larger alpha lose his grip. Yuuri tried to sit up, to push the bastard off of him, but Richard pinned him down, raining blows on to his face.

                “Yuuri!” Victor screamed.

                Grunting as Richard’s fist connected with his cheek, Yuuri turned his head to check his mate was safe.

                “Otabek!” Yuuri yelled as he grappled with Richard, “Get Victor out of here now!”

                Otabek quickly ran to the omega and helped him to his feet.

                “I’m not going anywhere!” Victor shouted, struggling against Otabek’s firm grip on his arm.

                Yuuri pushed Richard off of him with a loud yell. He stared straight into Victor’s eyes and the omega’s blood ran cold at the weight in his gaze.

                ~Go now!~ Yuuri pleaded over the link.

                ~I won’t leave you!~ Victor whimpered.

                ~I’ll be fine, I promise.~ Yuuri tried to reassure his mate, just as Richard rammed his fist into his stomach, making him gasp for breath. As he wheezed, doubled up, Richard brought his knee up sharply to connect with Yuuri’s nose. The Japanese alpha’s head swung backwards, his face twisted in pain.

                Yurio jumped on Richard’s back, wrapping his arms around his neck in a chokehold. For a few minutes, Richard scratched and yanked at the Russian’s arms, trying to prize him off his back, but Yurio clung on, swinging his legs to try and knock Richard off balance. Richard’s face began to turn a dark shade of scarlet as the younger alpha tightened his grip on his throat.

                Otabek tried again to get Victor to leave, but the omega was frozen, staring with wide tear-filled eyes as his mate struggled to his feet. A trickle of blood fell from Yuuri’s nose into his mouth, making him spit. His left cheek was cut as well, the skin already turning purple.

                “Victor…” Otabek’s quiet, calm tone almost startled the omega; it seemed so out of place with what was happening around him. The Kazakhstani alpha rested his hand on Victor’s arm, sending a small wave of soothing pheromones to him.

                It unnerved Victor; up until now, there was only Yuuri who could calm him using alpha hormones. For Otabek to offer the same reassurance was unsettling yet comforting at the same time.

                Otabek was a member of his pack. So was Yurio. It made Victor feel…at home. With a quick nod, he began to follow the alpha, noticing how he kept one arm in front of him, ready to protect him.

                Richard saw them try to leave and he pitched himself forward, using the added weight of Yurio on his back to close the gap between him and Victor. He twisted his hips and slammed Yurio into Otabek, who had placed himself between the intruder and the omega. The blonde alpha grunted upon contact, his grip loosening. Otabek tried to grab Yurio to stop him from falling. Richard felt the chokehold loosen and he flung Yurio over his shoulder, sending him flying into Otabek. The two alphas landed on the floor in a heap.

                Richard turned his cold stare to Victor. The omega stared back, adrenaline coursing through his veins.

                “You’re coming home with me!” Richard panted, exhaustion making his limbs tremble.

                “The hell I am!” Victor snarled.

                He almost missed the glint in Richard’s hand. A metallic flash under the lights.

                “Vitya!”

                Yuuri grabbed Richard’s wrist just in time and spun him to face him, holding his arm high above his head. It was only then that Victor saw the switchblade in Richard’s hand and shrunk back against the wall.

                Richard slammed his forehead into Yuuri’s already-broken nose, making the young alpha cry out in agony. As he lost his concentration, Richard pushed him backwards, sending him skidding across the floor until he slammed into the wall with a groan.

                Victor ran to Yuuri and knelt in front of him, panic creeping into his lungs. Yuuri’s eyes were closed, and he didn’t open them when Victor rubbed his shoulder.

                ~Yuuri?~ he tried to reach his mate through their link, but Yuuri was too dazed to answer.

                He felt a hand grab a fistful of his hair and tug hard, making his eyes water. He was lifted off his knees by his hair until he was eye-level with Richard, his brown eyes glinting.

                He pressed the blade against the scent gland on Victor’s neck, the cold metal making the omega gulp.

                “I’ll make sure he never wants you,” Richard hissed, “I’m going to mess up that pretty face of yours, then I’ll carve that fucking Mark out of your chest.”

                Victor stared at him, fear and horror stealing his voice, hot tears running down his face. He dug his nails into Richard’s hand, trying to prize his hair out of his grip, but the alpha tugged harder until Victor saw stars in front of his eyes.

                Otabek and Yurio stood up and made to charge at the alpha, but he yanked Victor around until he was pressed against Richard’s chest, facing his friends. With Victor in front of him as a shield, Richard pulled his arm sharply up behind his back, still keeping the blade against his throat, the point biting into his skin.

                “One wrong move and he’s dead!”

                Otabek and Yurio glowered at Richard but didn’t move, afraid of accidentally getting the omega hurt.

                Richard sneered. “Good boys. Now, if you don’t mind, me and Vit’enka have some catching up to do.” He began to pull Victor towards the door, not taking his eyes off the two lieutenant alphas.

                ~V-Vitya?~

                Victor jumped at the tiny voice in his head. His eyes found Yuuri shaking his head, struggling to his feet. When their eyes locked, Yuuri felt fear clench at the pit of his stomach.

                Without thinking, he lunged forward.

                “VICTOR!”

               It happened in slow motion; Victor tried to pull himself out of Richard’s vice-like grip, tried to push Yuuri away from them; Richard’s arm swung forward, the blade flashing in the light as he slashed the air…

                Yuuri’s eyes stretched wide before he fell to the floor, clutching his stomach.

                “YUURI!”

                Victor watched as his mate, his husband, the love of his life, fell limply to the floor, groaning and grimacing in pain. He could see Yuuri’s hand fill with blood as he pressed it to his stomach.

                Yurio ran to Yuuri, cursing out loud as he pressed his hands over his leader's, trying to staunch the blood. Victor saw how the young Russian’s face paled. Otabek stood between Yuuri and Richard, shoulders hunched, preparing to attack the alpha if he attempted to leave, his dark eyes fixed on Victor; the omega sensed the young alpha calculating his strategy, trying to work out how to defend his wounded Pack Leader and save his Pack Omega.

                “Yuuri!” Victor screamed and he desperately wrestled with Richard, trying to get to his mate. His omega senses were going into overdrive; his mate was hurt, needed him…he needed to get to him…

                _You need to get to him before…_

                The changing room door burst open. Three police officers ran in, yelling at Richard to drop the knife. Victor just about caught the scents of the alpha officers, but he paid them no attention.

                “Release the omega!” one officer commanded. Richard grunted as he fought the alpha command, refusing to consider himself of a lower rank to the officer. But when he yelled the command again, he let go of Victor’s arm with a stifled snarl. The omega didn’t waste any time and ran to Yuuri’s side, whispering his name over and over in a strangled voice.

                The officers pounced on Richard, pushing him to the floor. He tried to struggle, but they were stronger than him. One pinned his legs to the floor, one pulled his arms at painful angles behind his back as the third cuffed his wrists together. As one unit, they pulled the snarling alpha to his feet and dragged him outside.

                “How did - ” Otabek started to ask, flabbergasted.

                The lead officer addressed him, his voice soft in comparison with his forceful actions. “The caretaker noticed the smell of scent blockers, along with the distressed scent of an omega, so he called us. An ambulance is on route.” He added quickly as he glanced past Otabek to Yuuri.

                Victor gently lifted Yuuri’s head into his lap, brushing his hair out of his face. Yuuri glanced up at his mate, wheezing in pain.

                “Are you alright?” his voice came out raspy as he struggled to breathe through the pain. He tried to reach up to touch Victor’s tear-stained face, but the movement made him wince.

                “Me?!” Victor asked incredulously, “How can you possibly ask if I’m alright? How could you be so stupid?”

                Yuuri settled his hand – the one that wasn’t clutching his stomach – over Victor’s and rubbed his thumb over his trembling knuckles.

                “I love you.” He said with a soft smile.

                Victor suddenly felt cold.

                “Hey!” Yurio piped up, startling the pair of them, “Don’t you fucking dare talk like that! Can’t you see you’re scaring the shit out of Victor? The ambulance is on its way, you’ll get patched up and you’re going to be alright. So…just fucking stop scaring us, alright?”

                Yuuri blinked wide-eyed, shocked at the tremor in Yurio’s voice. He was even more surprised to see what looked like panic in his green eyes, unblinking and wet with unshed tears.

                Instinctively, he sent out a wash of alpha pheromones to calm the young man.

                He had to reassure his pack member.

                Yurio flinched from the soothing aura.

                “Don’t!” he huffed, “I’m alright. Just…just don’t do anything so fucking stupid again, you hear me? I am not going to spend the rest of my life babysitting your mate for you.”

                Otabek knelt next to Yurio and placed his hand on the Russian’s shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. He could feel the tension vibrating under his skin; he was terrified, but refusing to show it.

                As the paramedics came in, a young beta man started asking everyone to leave.

                Yurio shook his head. “I’m not fucking leaving ‘til I know he’s alright!”

                Otabek added a little more pressure to his shoulder, a silent request in the grip. So with another wet huff and quick rub of his green eyes, Yurio allowed his friend to pull him to his feet and lead him outside. Yuuri smiled a silent thank you to Otabek, who nodded to him.

                “Are you his mate?” the paramedic gently asked Victor.

                Victor stroked Yuuri’s hair, smoothing it down. Despite every nerve in his body shaking with fear and adrenaline, he smiled softly down at his husband.

                Yuuri gripped Victor’s hand tight, not taking his eyes off those sparkling blue eyes.

                “He’s my Soulmate.” Yuuri said proudly.

                “He’s my husband.” Victor stated, his heart swelling.

***

                Back at home, Victor began slamming plates and cups on the kitchen table and banging cupboard doors shut, his full lips pressed together in a harsh line.

                Yuuri sat at the table in awkward silence. Victor hadn’t said a word to him since they’d left the hospital a few hours ago.

                He’d been seen by the doctors and sent home with super-strong alpha painkillers and an order to take it easy for a few days to allow himself time to heal. Thankfully, alphas healed quicker than betas or omegas, so Yuuri knew he’d be right as rain by the end of the week. But the stitches on his abdomen itched as the skin started to knit together, his cheek was throbbing and he had a pounding headache from his broken nose.

                None of that compared to the ache in his chest as Victor refused to talk to him.

                After they’d given their statements to the police, Yuuri had thought Victor would be relieved that it was all over – they’d been assured that there was enough evidence to ensure a conviction, meaning Richard would be out of their lives for good – but, if anything, Victor only grew more and more angry as they made the journey home, harsh silence settling between them. By the time they got back to the house, Victor was emitting enough hostility that even Makkachin recoiled from him.

                As Victor started preparing dinner, Yuuri stared at his back. His shoulders were hunched, his movements jerky and rigid, like he was struggling to hold himself together.

                “Der’mo!” Victor swore out loud, putting his finger to his lips; his trembling hand had slipped whilst cutting vegetables.

                Yuuri jumped up but Victor snapped his head to glare at him.

                “Don’t!” he shouted, “I’m fine!”

                “No, you’re not!” Yuuri snapped back, finally at his limit, “You haven’t been alright since we got home!”

                “Oh, I’m sorry!” Victor drawled coolly, “how was I supposed to be? All sweetness and light?”

                “I never said that you should be, but you could at least talk to me!”

                “And say what?” Victor flung his arms in the air as he yelled, “That I’m glad it’s all over, and now we can all go back to normal?”

                Yuuri flinched. “Can’t we?” he felt a hard tug in the pit of his stomach as he stared at Victor, who had gone pale.

                Victor released a shuddering breath and suddenly he was sobbing, running his hands through his hair and over his eyes like he was trying to scrub some invisible dirt off his skin.

                “Yuuri…he nearly – you almost – you could have - ”

                Yuuri ignored the sharp pain in his abdomen to run to his mate and wrap him in a tight embrace. At first, Victor tried to pull away but he quickly melted against Yuuri’s chest, loud sobs echoing around the kitchen.

                Yuuri closed his eyes, letting Victor sob onto his shoulder as he rubbed his back.

                “But he didn’t, Vitya. I didn’t. I’m still here. You’re still here.” He finally said quietly.

                Victor pulled away enough to look Yuuri square in the eye. “That’s not the point! Why the hell did you challenge him?”

                Anger bubbled in Yuuri’s chest. “Well, what was I supposed to do? For Christ’s sake, Victor, I got to the changing room and he had you on your knees in a corner! Was I supposed to step to one side and let that bastard just walk out?”

                “If it meant you didn’t get hurt – yes!”

                Yuuri gripped Victor’s arms. “He held a knife to your throat! If he had slipped - ” his sentence trailed off as he forced down a sob.

                “He wouldn’t have gotten far! The police were outside.”

                “But we didn’t know that at the time!” Yuuri thought he was going to start screaming, he was shaking so much, “there was no way in hell I was going to let him take you away from me!”

                “Why? Because I’m your property?”

                Yuuri let go of Victor like he’d been burned, his eyes wide with horror. He recoiled from the cold glint in his mate’s shining eyes.

                “Do-do you honestly believe that I think like that?!”

                Victor let out another shuddering breath. “Of course I don’t. I’m sorry. It’s just…”

                He turned away from Yuuri and wrapped his arms around his chest, suddenly feeling cold. He wanted to get in the shower and scrub the feel of Richard’s hands off his skin, he wanted to run away until he couldn’t see the sinister glint of those eyes.

                “It…it just all came rushing back,” he said quietly, as if saying it out loud would make that bastard appear in a puff of smoke, “h-how he made me feel…what-what he did to me.”

                Yuuri clenched his fists, his inner alpha begging him to go to the police station and rip that bastard’s throat out, telling him he’d be doing the world a favour.

                When they had first started dating, Victor had told him about Richard; of course he did, they didn’t keep secrets from each other, good or bad. But, even though Yuuri had been angry at the time, he’d never imagined that he’d have to come face-to-face with the sickening excuse of a human being that dared to hurt Victor.

                Victor had pulled himself out of the abyss to make himself the successful force of nature that Yuuri had fallen in love with. And he had only grown stronger and more beautiful every single day.

                Now Yuuri was seeing a glimpse of the Victor he had never met; the Victor that had suffered at the hands of a man who claimed to “love” him, the Victor who had to leave everything he knew just escape the abuse, the Victor who truly believed he was worthless, unlovable, nothing but a toy.

                He reached out a trembling hand and placed it on Victor’s shoulder, startling him out of his memories. The pain in his sapphire eyes made him want to scream, but he didn’t. He touched his fingertips to Victor’s wet cheek and brushed away a tear.

                “I would never do that to you.” He almost choked on his voice.

                Victor’s smile was sad and didn’t reach his eyes. “I know.”

                Yuuri gently pulled him closer, until he could touch his forehead to his mate’s. “When I think about what he did to you, what that – that – _kuso yaro_ – could have done to you, I just want to kill him! I wanted to kill him back then. I wanted to kill him today. It…it frightened me, Vitya, just how much I wanted to kill him.”

                Victor shivered but didn’t move away. “I know, it frightened me too.”

                A single tear ran down Yuuri’s cheek as he gazed up into his husband’s eyes. “When I thought he was going to take you…I…I thought I was going to die. I’d have rather died than lose you, than let him take you from me.”

                Victor cupped his mate’s face in his hands. “I’d have rather died than lose you, too. Please, _please_ don’t ever put yourself in a situation like that again!”

                Yuuri covered Victor’s hands with his, his eyes steeling. “I can’t promise that I won’t protect you. Coz I will – until my last breath.”

                Victor’s chest heaved. “There’ll be no need – he can’t touch me now. You made sure of that!” he pressed his lips to Yuuri’s urgently, “you saved me, Yuuri! You saved me five years ago, you saved me again today. You gave me a reason to smile again, to live again. My life, my love, my everything!”

                Yuuri returned his kisses with a heated desperation. “You saved yourself all those years ago, Vitya. You’re the strongest, bravest person I’ve ever met. I’m so proud of you, I always will be. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me. I don’t deserve you!”

                Victor pressed his chest to his mate’s. He rained kisses all over Yuuri’s face, tasting the salt of his tears. “I don’t deserve you, my darling! I’m nothing without you, lyubov moya.”

                “I’m nothing without you, watashi no ai.”

                Their kisses grew needy and wanting, the silence broken by soft, reassuring moans. The alpha needed to comfort and protect his mate, to swear his undying devotion; the omega needed to cement his alliance to his alpha, to vow eternal love.

                The soulmates needed the warmth of their Bond.

***

                Afterwards, Yuuri and Victor were on the kitchen floor, breathless and sweating. Yuuri blushed a little when Makkachin poked his head around the kitchen door, only to scarper away when he caught their mixed scents.

                Victor was lying down, his head in Yuuri’s lap as the alpha sat upright, his back to the cold cupboard door. Yuuri stroked the silver curtain from in front of Victor’s eye, smoothing the silky strands.

                “Well, that wasn’t exactly how I imagined _that_ would happen before we left the rink.” Victor said lightly, a satisfied smile stretching his lips.

                Yuuri remembered their teasing conversation before everything had gone wrong and laughed softly. His heart glowed as he felt Victor relax, his inner alpha proud that he had helped his omega out of his distress. Though he knew there would be some hard work to do, he believed he could be strong enough for Victor. So if he needed to laugh, he would laugh with him.

                “Me neither.” He glanced around the kitchen, trying to remember where Victor had flung his underwear, “I think poor Makkachin’s going to avoid us for the rest of the day.”

                Victor smiled, and Yuuri noticed that, every time he smiled, his magnificent eyes were getting brighter. “I’ll make it up to him later – he can have the extra cutlet for his dinner.”

                Yuuri frowned. “What extra cutlet?”

                Victor sat up and tucked his knees under his chin. “I was making Katsudon for dinner before we…got distracted.” He smirked.

                Yuuri’s stomach growled at the mention of Katsudon, making Victor laugh sweetly.

                He stood up and turned back to the food on the counter.

                “Aren’t you at least going to get dressed first?” Yuuri smiled lopsidedly as he stood up.

                Victor grinned. “You want me to get dressed?”

                Yuuri stood behind his mate and cuddled up close; it was clear that he _didn’t_ want him to get dressed.

                But he chuckled into the crook of Victor’s neck. “Well, if you’re brave enough to stand next to a hissing wok as you fry pork and vegetables…”

                Victor winced dramatically. “Okay, on second thoughts, you’d better pass me my clothes.”

                Yuuri quickly pressed his lips to the scent gland on Victor’s neck before retrieving their clothes from around the kitchen.

                “How the hell did my sock end up on the lampshade?” he asked incredulously.

                Victor giggled. “Probably the same way my briefs ended up on top of the fridge!”

                Yuuri shook his head and smiled as he continued his hunt for their clothes, Victor busying himself with the not-so-messy dinner preparations.

                A knock on the front door made the omega jump in fright. Makkachin yapped at the sound; he didn’t sound concerned or agitated, and Victor breathed a sigh of relief.

                The poodle knew who was on the other side of the door.

                Yuuri relaxed a little, quickly shoving his shirt back over his head as he opened the door. He was surprised to see that it was Otabek and Yurio. The younger alpha didn’t wait to be invited in, shoving past Yuuri.

                “He wouldn’t settle until he knew that you were okay.” Otabek explained as Yuuri frowned.

                “Don’t fucking talk about me like I’m a little kid!” Yurio barked from the kitchen doorway.

                “Don’t fucking act like one then!” Otabek quipped, winking at Yuuri. Yuuri smiled in response.

                Yuuri felt his chest puff a little with pride; his friends had come to their aid without being asked, had pledged themselves to his omega. He knew their display wasn’t permanent – he would have had to Mark their wrists to create a true pack – but the temporary share of strength had saved Victor’s life, and he knew he’d never be able to repay them for it.

                Otabek seemed to sense what he was thinking and smiled warmly before offering his hand to him. Yuuri gladly accepted it, shaking it fondly.

                The two alphas ran to the kitchen when they heard an almighty scream come from the room.

                “Oh, hi Yurio!” Victor said cheerfully.

                “WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU COOKING NAKED?!”

                “Vitya,” Yuuri whined, despite the grin that broke his face, “why didn’t you get dressed?”

                “What, and miss the look on our little Agape’s face? Not bloody likely!”

                Makkachin decided it was best to stay in the den as the loud swearing and laughter started to hurt his sensitive ears and wait for his dinner.

**Author's Note:**

> Oh, dear God, why did I do this to them?!
> 
> Yuuri and Victor will be fine, I promise!! Their love can overcome all trials, and now they know their friends will always be there for them.
> 
> I wanted to explore more of the A/B/O concept, and in order to that, I had to include more characters and see how they would react to a threat. My boys are very much like a wolf pack, with their own specific roles within the group, and I hope you will appreciate this story.
> 
> The fluff will return in the next instalment - I promise <3<3
> 
> Feel free to tell me how you feel, good or bad xxx


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